Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 
Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


https://archive.org/details/briefreplytogranOOinha 


y/  ^ 

•  A  BRIIC 

HEP  L  Y 

.  t 

T  O  T  M  B 

GRAND  ENQUIRY, 
YY  hat  muft  I  do  to  be  favcd? 

To  which  are  aided, 

Some  peculiar  DOCTRINES, 

AND 

OBSERVATIONS  upon  tliem; 

In  which  they  are  repreft&ted  as  un^eriptural. 

"  •  %  •  'j  "  '  ' 

ALSO, 

The  PROCEEDINGS 

OF  T  H  S 

ECCLESIASTICAL  COUNCIL 

At  the  ORDINATION  of  the 

Rev.  DANIEL  FOSTER,*' 

la  Nkw-Braintrie. 


O  faolilh  Teachers  who  hath  bewitched  yon,  that  you  ihould 
pervert  the  Truth  ! 

May  the  Coekatncs  Egg  never  hatch. 


MASSACHUSETTS-BAY  : 
WORCESTER,  Printed  by  ISAIAH  THOMAS. 


HE  following  thoughts,  •were  at fir [l 


deHgned  for  private  ufe  ;  but  after 
perufal \  for  the  honour  of  truth ,  the  good 
of  my  fellow  (inner  s,  the  Jhame  of  err  one* 
ous  teachers %  and  the  deflruftion  of  error , 
1  have  obtained  liberty  to  publifh  them  to 
the  world ;  which  may  the  blefjing  of  God 
attend  to  the  latefi  ages. 

I  am.  Reader ,  a  fincere  welUwifher 
to  your  bejl  intered. 

An  Inhabitant  of  Nflw-Brarntrcf* 

January  1 779; 


ij 


S  1  R, 

1HAVE  of  late  been  entertained  with 
ftrange  things  from  the  pulpit, which 
have  canfed  no  fmall  uneafinefs  in  my 
mind,  with  regard  to  the  eftentials  of 
the  Gofpel,  left  they  ftiould  be  brought 
down,  and  rendered  palatable  to  the 
pride  of  the  carnal  heart. 

For,  in  my  apprehenfton,  thofe  fcrip- 
lural  do&rines,  which  ferve  to  exalt  the 
faviour  and  abale  the  creature,  fuch  as 
the  depravity  of  the  human  nature,  and 
the  rich,  free*  fovereign  grace  of  God, 
in  the  recovery  of  loft  finners  to  him- 
felf,  by  faith  in  the  imputed  righteouf- 
nefs  of  Chrift,  are  evidently  ftruck  at.- 
I  therefore  ierioufiy  afk  an  anfwer  to 
that  all-important  queftion— u  What 
gauft  !  do  to  be  faved.”  A5U  xvi.  30, 

I  the  rather  make  this  enquiry,  as  I 
have  lately  been  taught  the  following 
doctrines,  viz. 

1.  That  men  in  a  natural  unre^ene- 
rate  ftate,  ©an  do  thofe  things  which  arc 
well-pieafing  and  acceptable  in  the  fight 
of  God, 


(  4  ) 

2:  That  the  fpecia!,  efficacious  in¬ 
fluences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  converfion 
are  unneceflary. 

3.  Which  aflerts  an  un regenerate 
mail  has  as  much  power  or  ability  to 
lake  ptffbffion  of  the  heavenly  Canaan, 
as  Ifrael  had  to  take  poffeffion  of  tht 
earthly  Canaan, 

4.  Some,  faith  the  preacher,  hold  to 
an  abfolute,  perfonal,  unconditional  e- 
ledtion,  which  (adds  he)  is  abfurd  and 
ridiculous,  and  blefTed  be  God,  it  is  falfe 
dodtrine  :  For  Chrift  did  as  much  for 
Judas  as  for  St.  Pauh 

5.  I  am  told  that  the  power  of  the 
will,  though  an  Arminian  tenet,  is  a 
good  one  ;  that  every  man  has  power 
within  himfelf,  from  means  and  motives 
held  up,  favingly  to  chufe  or  refufe.  \ 

6.  That  if  I  reperit  and  believe  the 
Gofpelj  God  has  engaged  that  he  will 
give  me  a  new  heart  and  would  caufe 
me  to  walk  in  his  ftatutes  j  and  if  I  do 
no-  G«»d  will  break  his  covenant.  As 
in  Deuteronomy. 

Fr  m  the  apt, file's  mentioning  th§ 
breaking  '.ft  or  the  Jews,  and  grafting 
in  of  the  Gentiles,  I  am  told,  that  the 

/f  v  .  Jt  _  fs'J^zC  /  t  £  rty'h-  S' •  S  frv 


(  s  ) 

Jbrmer  difpcnfation  was  a  faith  of  pro- 
feffion,  and  the  prelent  difpenfation 
means  no  more,  elfe  the  apoftle’s  rea- 
foning  is  foolifhnefs.  Confequently  tells 
me  that  faving  grace  is  unneceflary  for 
Complying  with  any  ordinance. 

8.  I  am  taught  that  creedSjCatechifms, 
ponfeffions  of  faith,  church  covenants, 
£cc.  are  a  long  rope  of  which  the  devil 
has  the  knot-end.  That  the  devil  could 
not  have  done  fo  much  mifchief  without 
them,  and  that  there  could  not  be  a  re* 
formation  till  thefe  were  thrown  slide: 
But  then  he  added,  that  children  might 
be  taught  the  caieehife,  provided  the 
'  |noft  dangerous  p;  •  u  were  left  out. 

g.  I  am  told  cm  account  of  the  righ- 
teoufnefs  or  Chriii  the  divine  attributes 
harmonife,  juftice  could  demand  no 
more  :  Chrifl  partaking  human  nature 
has  elevated  and  reftored  it  to  favour  j 
and  the  whole  h  uman  race  are  upon  bet¬ 
ter  ftandrng  than  Adam  in  innocency. 

10.  The  gofpel  is  a  remedial  law, 
brought  down  to  our  capacities,  and 
that  we  are  able  to  obey  its  precepts. 

1 1.  The  depravity  of  human  nature 
is  denied,  and  original  fin  is  averted  not 
i<3  be  damning. 


»  '%  rn  9m 


12.  I  have  been  taught  that  original 
fin  and  imputed  guilt  is  as  unfcriptural 
as  the  Indians philolophy  was  unphilo** 
fophical,  when  he  faid,  the  world  was 
held  up  by  a  great  Indian,  the  Indian 
flood  upon  a  tortoife,  and  the  tcrtoife 
flood  upon  nothing. 

13.  That  an  unregenerate  man  could 
aft:  a  divine  faith,  or  put  forth  a  faving 
aft,  as  well  a!s  the  regenerate. 

14.  I  am  taught  that  &  faving  faith 
is  an  affent  of  the  will,  founded  on  the 
undemanding,  but  the  confent  of  the 
will  was  no  part  of  it,  illuflrated  by  this 
fimilitude,  ‘  I  believe  there  is  fuch  a  place 
as  London ,  becauje  1  have  feen  the  hiflory 
ojjtb  And  the  life  of  faith  is  works ; 
And  that  God  is  not  the  immediate  au¬ 
thor  of  faith, but  the  fcriptures  mediately 
or  by  means.  And  the  faith  of  devils 
differs  not  from  the  faith  of  believers, 
but  in  this,  one  has  works,  the  other 
has  none. 

Thefe,  Sir,  are  the  doftrines  I  have 
been  taught  to  believe  j  pray  be  fo  kind 
as  to  give  me,  in  brief,  your  fentiments 
upon  them,  and  you  will  greatly  oblige 
one,  who  is  jearching  after  Truth. 


*Ihe  REPLY. 


Dear  Sir , 

Y  your  addrefs  you  difcover  a  de*« 
fire  to  be  freed  from  error,  and  to 
be  led  into  the  knowledge  of  divine  truth. 

It  will  afford  me  peculiar  pleafure,  if 
I  may  be  happily  inftrumental,  in  the 
hand  of  God, of  affording  you  fome  little 
affiftance  in  this  moil  weighty  concern. 

Your  firfi:  enquiry  is,  *  What  mufl  Id® 
fo  be  faved  V.  I  would  diredt  you  to  the 
apoftle’s  anfwer,  Believe  on  the  Lord  Je- 
fus  Chrijl  and  thou  fhalt  be  faved.  Not 
that  any  perfon  if  left  to  the  inclinations 
of  his  own  depraved  heart, will  ever  feel 
a  difppfition  favingly  to  clofe  withChriff. 
Becaufe  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  againff 
God.  Rom,  viii.  7.  For  by  grace  are  ye 
Javed  through  faith, and  that  not  of  your* 
[elves,  it  is  the  gift  of  God.  Eph.  ii,  8. 

Man  is  not  born  a  believer, faith  fprings 
not  up  oi  itfelf,  from  fome  hidden  feeds 
in  our  degenerate  nature ;  but  is  altoge¬ 
ther  of  a  foreign  extr&df,  it  is.  of  a  frw 
jpernatural  birth. 


Ml>  „  ■'"J-rTg 


None  that  give  credit  to  the  Bible,  tit 
even  confult  their  own  experience  and 
observation,  bu  mu  ft  confefs,  that  this 
grace  of  faith  is  a  holy  principle,  which 
no  man  bungs  into  the  world  with  him, 
for  wc  are  born  with  an  evil  heart  with¬ 
in  us  ;  arc  all  included  in  the  numbed 
of  the  many,  who  bv  one  mans  difobe - 
dience  were  made  jinners.  There  is  an 
inbred  principle  of  infidelity,  an  hidden 
root  of  bitternefs,  in  the  corrupt  nature, 
which  we  have  all  derived  from  apof- 
tare  Adam.  Fooiifhnef*,  lays  the  wife- 
eft  man,  is  bound  up  in  the  heart  of  a 
child,  and  nothing  can  effectually  root 
it  out,  but  the  rod  of  his  (lrength>  who 
maketb  his  people  willing  in  the  day  of 
bis  power. 

Unrenewed  men  are  as  much  at  en¬ 
mity  in  their  minds,  againft  the  grace 
of  God,  and  the  merits  of  Cnrift,  in  the 
feriptare  account  ef  them,  as  they  are  to 
his  bolinefs  and  moral  government. 

This  appears  evident  in  convicted 
perfons,  when  enlightened  by  the  holy 
fpirit,  they  fee  themfelves  under  a  brok¬ 
en  law, and  in  extreme  danger  of  perifh- 
ing  forever, without  an  intereft  inChrift, 


&  new  heart,  and  a  change  from  nature 
to  grace  :  Yet  how  great  is  their  attach¬ 
ment  to  the  law  as  a  covenant  of  works, 
how  does  the  fpirit  of  the  pharifee  ope¬ 
rate  and  prevail  within  them  !  That 
however  much  they  may  exprefs  their 
defire  toward  a  faviour,and  a  willingnefs 
to  be  juftified  by  Chrift ;  it  is  plain  they 
are  for  compounding  matters,  mingling 
law  and  gofpefor  elfe  pafs  on  in  a  mid¬ 
dle  way  between  them  :  At  beft  they 
are  for  wafhiog  their  fins  by  the  tears 
of  repentence,  joined  with  faith  in  the 
blood  of  Chrift,  ©r  elfe  hope  to  make  a 
righteouihds  of  their  prayers  and  duties, 
thinking  l /  thefe  to  recommend  them- 
felves  to  the  grace  of  God,  to  obtain 
Chrift,  and  get  entitled  to  his  benefits  : 
At  molt  the  pride  of  their  ftubborn 
hearts  will  not  1  offer  them  to  come  to 
Chrift  as  naked  forlorn  finners,wretched 
and  miferahle,  trembling  under  fearful 
apprehenfions  of  their  guilt  and  danger  , 
as  worthlefs,  belplefs  and  hopelefs  in 
themlelves  confidered,  depending  alone 
on  the  perfedt  righteoufnefs  of  Chrift 
for  iuftification  and  acceptance  with 
God. 

Hence  it  is  manifeft,  that  holy  and 

B 


unfeigned  faith,  is  fo  far  from  being  a 
connatural  principle  in  us, that  by  nature 
we  are  utter  Grangers  to  it,  nay  enemies 
a^ainrt  it. 

Nor  is  this  faith  an  acquired  habit  or 
the  natural  effect  of  human  endeavours, 
\%hich  we  procure  to  ourfelves,  by  vir¬ 
tue  of  cur  own  moral  improvements  on 
natural  reafon  and  confidence  :  For  the 
truly  regenerate  are  born  not  of  bloody 
nor  of  the  will  of  the  flefhy  nor*  of  tbs  will 
of  man  but  of  God.  John  i,  13.. 

And  when  it  fhail  pleale  God  to  bring 
you  favingly  to  believe  in  Chrift,he  will 
give  you  to  fee  that  falvation  is  all  of 
grace,  of  pure,  unmingled  grace,  that 
all  b  ailing  may  be  excluded  from  man, 
and  an  the  glory  redound  to  his  great 
na-ne.  That  the  law  is  fpiritual,  but  that 
are  carnal,  fold  under  fin.  He  will 
fnew  you  that  all  works  produced  by 
human  endeavours.and  even  faith  itfelf, 
as  it  is  the  add:  of  the  creature,  are  en¬ 
tirely  fet  afide  in  the  grand  bufinefs  of 
our  jollification  before  God  ;  and  that 
you  (land  in  the  molt  abfolute  need  of  a 
better  1  ighteoufnefs  than  your  own.even 
the  pcrlrdt  righteoufncls  of  Chrift  to 
denominate  you  righteous  before  his  en- 


lightened  tribunal.  That  nothing  fhort 
of  an  almighty  power  can  take  away  the 
ftony  heart,  and  effectually  renew  the 
will.  He  will  then  hold  up  a  faviour  to 
view,  fuch  a  faviour  as  is  exactly  calcu¬ 
lated  to  relieve  you  under  your  perill¬ 
ing  circumftances  j  and  will  enable  you 
to  hunger  and  third:  after  Chrift  ;  He 
will  give  you  to  fee  that  in  Jefus  the 
Redeemer  all  fulnels  dwells ;  all  fulnefe 
of  merit  and  righteoufnefs,of  grace,  lanc- 
tiftcation  and  ialvation  ;  and  this  for  the 
unworthy,  for  the  moft  guilty  among 
men,  for  whofoever  wili,  even  for  the 
chief  of  tinners. 

If  you  know  thefe  things  by  happy 
experience,  may  you  ftill  gq  on  rejoicing 
in  Chri/l  JeJus ,  putting  no  confidence  in 
the  Flejh.  But  if  not,  may  the  Lord  give 
you  a  will,  a  heart,  cordially  to  accept 
of  Chrift  ;  may  he  make  bear  his  arm, 
and  by  the  powerful  operations  of  the 
bleffed  fpirit,  effectually  draw  off  your 
affections  from  the  love  of- (in,  from  the 
love  of  the  world,  and  the  things  of  it; 
may  he  draw  you  to  himfelf,and  faving- 
ly  unite  you  to  Jefus  Chrift  by  a  faith 
of  d’vine  operation  ;  « hat  you  may  live 
to  ^honour  his  great  i.amejand  bring 


(  12  ) 

forth  much  fruit  to  the  praiie  of  his  glo¬ 
rious  grace,  that  hereafter  you  may  join 
with  faints  and  angels  in  fublime  afcrip- 
tions  of  praife  to  him  that  fitteth  upon 
the  throne,  and  to  the  lamb  forever  and 
ever. 

As  to  the  dodlrines  you  have  been 
taught,  viz. 

i.  “  That  men  in  a  natural,  unrege¬ 
nerate  flate,  can  do  thofe  things  which 
are  welhpleafing  and  acceptable  in  the 
fight  of  God." 

This  appears  to  me  both  dangerous 
and  unfcriptural.  i.  Dangerous  for  it 
leads  the  finner  to  build  his  hopes  for 
heaven  on  a  falfe  foundation,  even  upon 
his  own  works :  But  what  fay  the  ferip-* 
lures.  Other  foundation  can  no  man  lay> 
than  that  is  laid ,  which  is  Jefus  Chrifl. 
t  Cor.  iii.  ji.  By  grace  are  ye  faved ; 
not  of  works ,  lejl  any  man  Jhould  boafl , 
Eph.  ii.  8,  9.  Now  if  Jefus  Chrifl  be 
the  only  foundation  for  men  to  build 
the  falvation  of  their  precious  fouls  upon, 
then  to  build  upon  works  as  a  foundation 
muft  be  infinitely  dangerous.  2.  It  is 
unfcriptural ;  for,  fays  Chrifl, John  iii. 6. 
that  which  is  born  ofFlefh ,  is  FleJIo,  And 
fays  the  apoflle,  Rom.  viii.  8.  They  that 


(  i3  ) 

$re  in  the  F!eJ7:  cannot  pleafe  God,  By 
being  in  the  flsfh,  mu  ft  mean  man  in  his 
natural  unregenerate  ftate, for  being  born 
of  the  fltfh  is  dire&'y  oppofed  by  our 
Saviour  himfelf  to  being  born  of  the 
fpirit  :  He  therefore  adds.  Marvel  not 
that  I  j aid  unto  thee, ye  mujl  be  born  again. 
We  read  exprefsfy,  Heb.  xi.  6.  ‘That 
without  faith  it  is  impojfible  to  pleafe  God . 
But  man  in  his  natural  ftate  has  not  faith, 
therefore  it  is  impofiible  for  man  in  his 
natural  ftate  to  do  thofe  things  which 
are  well  pleafing  in  the  fight  of  God. 

2.  “  That  regeneration,and  the  fpecial 
effacacious  influences  of  the  holy  fpirit 
in  convetfion  are  unneceffary.” 

The  former  part  of  this  article  is  di¬ 
ametrically  oppofite  our  faviour’s  con¬ 
ference  with  Nicodemus,and  to  the  im¬ 
port  of  the  whole  New-Teftarmnt.and 
is  therefore  falfe.  And  as  to  the  fpecial, 
effacacious  influences  of  the  holy  fpirit 
in  converfion  as  unneceffary,  thefe  texts 
may  prove  the  affertiuo  unfcriptural, 
Eph.i.  19,  20.  And  what  is  the  exceed - 
ing  greatnejs  of  his  power  to  us-ward 
who  believe ,  according  to  the  working  of 
his  mighty  power  t  which  he  wrought  in 
ChriJlfWhett  he  raifed  him  from  the  dead. 


<  H  ) 

2  Cor.  v.  1 7.  Therefore  vim  be 

in  Chrifl  be  is  a  new  creature .  With 
Eph.  ii.  1.  10.' 

3. “Which  afferts,an  unregenerate  man 
has  as  much  power,  or  ability  to  take 
poffeffion  of  the  heavenly  Canaan,  as  If- 
rael  had  to  take  porteflion  of  the  earths 
ly  Canaan.1 ” 

If  by  power,  or  ability,  he  means  a 
natural  power,  I  fhall  not  contend  with 
him  j  but  if  he  means  a  moral  power, 
that  men  have  a  heart,  a  will,while  un= 
regenerate,  to  love  God,to  chufe  his  fer- 
vice,  to  believe  in  Chrirt,  and  accept  of 
falvation,as  offered  in  the  gofpei  through 
him,  I  muft  deny  the  affertion,  and  hold 
it  unfcriptural  :  Elfe  why  does  our  fa- 
viour  complain,  Te  will  not  come  unto 
me  that  ye  might  have  life ,  John  v.  40. 
It  is  reprefented  in  fcripture  as  being 
given  unto  men  to  believe,P<6/7/’/>,  1  2, 9.* 
And  fays  Chrifl,  John  vi.  44,  No  man 
can  come  to  me  except  the  Father  which 
bath  Jent  me  draw  him . 

4.  “  Some,  fays  the  preacher,  (I  had 
almofl  faid  importer)  hold  to  an  abfo- 
lute,  perfonal,  unconditional  cleffion  ; 
which,  adds  he,is  abfurd  and  ridiculous, 
and  blcffed  be  God  it  is  falfc  dedtiine  : 


* 


XL 


For  Chrift  died  as  much  forjudas  as  lot 
St.  Paul/' 

That  there  h  a  certain  remnant  that 
fhall  be  laved,  and  this  by  virtue  of  e- 
legion  is  pkin  from  the  following  paf~> 
fages.  Vtjfels  of  mercy  afore  prepared 
unto  glory ,  Rom.  ix.  33.  flbe  eiedlion 
hath  obtained,  Rom.  xi.  7.  As  many  as 
•were  ordained  to  eternal  life  believed , 
Afts  xiii.  4b.  And  2.  ThelT.  ii.  13. 
God  hath  from  the  beginning  chofetki  you 
to  (ulvation,  &c.  It  was  requifitc  that 
ekOion  fhouid  be  abfolute,  beeaufe  ©f 
the  abfolutenefs  of  God’s  decree  touching 
the  death  of  his  Son,  unto  which  he  was 
fore-ordained  unrepealably.  i.Pet.  i.  20. 
He  was  the  lamb  Jlainfrom  the Joundati - 
on  of  the  world ,  Rev.  xiii.  8.  Audit  was 
not  poffible  that  cup JJ)ouid  pafs  from  him , 
Matt.  xxvi.  39,  42.  Now  if  it  be  a  thing 
below  the  prudence  of  men  to  lay  down 
the  price, without  fecuriog  the  purchafe  5 
then  furely  the  wifdom  ©f  God  could 
not  determine  the  death  ©f  his  fon,  for 
men’s  falvation,  and  yet  leave  the  lalva- 
fion  of  thefe  very  men  at  an  uncertain- 
ty  ;  which  it  muft  have  been,  if  their 
election  had  not  been  ablolute.  And  that 
tlcdtion  is  per  fon  al,  is  plain  from  this  y 


(  *6  ) 

the  defign  of  God  in  the  death  of  Chrift 
could  not  othesrwife  he  fecured.  Had  the 
defign  been  to  purchafe  falvation  for  be¬ 
lievers,  without  afeertaining  the  perfons 
that  fhould  believe,  it  had  been  uncer¬ 
tain  whether  any  would  be  faved,  be- 
caufe  uncertain  whether  any  would  be - 
lieve.  If  certain  thatfome  would  believe, 
this  certainty  mull  be  decreed.  For  no¬ 
thing  future  could  be  certain  otherwife ; 
and  if  it  was  decreed  that  fome  fhould 
believe,  the  individuals  of  that  fome 
mad  be  decreed  alfo  j  for  faith  is  the 
gift  of  God,  and  conid  not  be  foreleen 
in  any,  but  whom  he  had  decreed  to 
give  it  unto.  Which  laid  together  are  a 
good  demonftration  that  thofe  Chrift: 
died  for,  were  as  well  pre-ordained,  as 
that  he  fhould  die  for  them.,  and  that 
definitely  and  by  name. 

It  is  alfo  unconditional. 

To  derive  eie<ftion  from  any  root,  be- 
fide  the  good  pleafure  of  God,  is  to  frus¬ 
trate  the  principal  end  of  man’s  falvation, 
viz,  the  glory  of  God's  grace,  Eph.  i.  6, 
2,7.  This  attribute  of  all  the  reft, he  will 
not  have  eelipfed,  nor  infringed  upon  ; 
it  is  fo  divinely  facred,  as  not  to  admit 
the  lcaft  human  touch  ;  for  which  very 


eaufe,the  Lord  hath  fo  contrived  thatblef- 
fed  defign  of  his  glory,  that  all  boafting  is 
excluded, no  Flejh  fhall glory  in  bis  pre - 
fence>  I.  Cor.  i.  29.  But  if  any  thing  in  the 
creature,  any  good  works  forefeen,  be  en¬ 
titled  to  the  eaufality  of  election,  flefti  will 
glory  ;  and  inftead  of  excluding  man’s 
boafting,  grace  itfelf  will  be  excluded.  See 
Rom.  xi.  6. 

It  is  laid  “  Chrift  died  as  much  for  Judas 
as  for  St.  Paul This  I  deny.  Judas  is  ac¬ 
knowledged  by  all,  to  be  the  f©n  of  perdi* 
lion,  and  to  be  eternally  loft  i  But  thole 
for  whom  Chrift  died  are  appointed  to  ob¬ 
tain  lalvation  through  him,  1  Theff.  v.  90 
Chrift  is  faid  exprefly  to  die  for  his  people, 
Matt.  i.  21.  His  Iheep,  John  x.  1 1, 12.  His 
church,  Adis  xx.  a  8.  Eph.  v,  25;  As  dif- 
tinguilhed  from  the  world,  Rom.  v.  8* 
Whence,  fays  one,  **  V/e  may  furely  con¬ 
clude,  that  Chrift  died  not  for  all  and  eve¬ 
ry  one.  Not  for  thefe  he  never  knew, 
whom  he  hates,  whom  he  hardens,  on 
whom  he  will  not  fhevv  mercy,  who  were 
before  of  old  ordained  to  condemnation  : 
In  a  word  for  a  reprobate*  for  the  world 
for  which  he  would  not  pray.’* 

Here  perhaps  you  will  ebjedl,  “  How 
can  the  offers  of  falvation  ba  (aid  to  bo  made 


(  i8  ) 

with  finccrity  to  thofc  for  whom  Chrift 
never  died  ?”  To  this  I  anfwer  in  the  words 
of  a  learned  divine.  “  Thofc  to  whom  the 
gofpel  is  preached,  are  obliged  to  believe 
that  Chrift  is  God, the  fon  of  God, the  true 
Mefiiah,  &c.  according  to  the  tenor  of  the 
revelation  made  to  them  $  and  may  juftly 
be  condemned  for  not  believing  in  him  as 
fuch,  even  though  he  died  not  for  them ; 
for  that  he  died  for  them,  is  not  what  they 
are  obliged  to  believe,  that  being  no  part 
of  the  revelation  made  to  them  ;  nor  will 
they  be  condemned  for  not  believing  that 
ht  died  for  them, but  for  their  neglett, con¬ 
tempt  and  unbelief  of  him  and  his  gofpel.’* 

5.  “I  am  told  that  the  power  of  the  will, 
though  an  Arminian  tenet,  is  a  good  one ; 
that  every  man  has  power  within  himfelf 
from  means  and  motives  held  up,  favingly 
to  chufe  or  refufe** 

To  this  it  may  be  replied,  as  to  unrege¬ 
nerate  perfons  they  have  no  will,  or  moral 
po  wer,  to  chufe  and  prefer  fpiritual  and  di¬ 
vine  things ;  they  delire  not  the  knowledge 
of  God’s  ways-;  their  carnal  minds  are  en-» 
mity  againft  God,  and  are  not  fubjedfc  to 
his  law,  nor  can  they  be  fubjedl  to  it,  with¬ 
out  the  fpecial  grace  of  God.  Thy  people 
Jball  be  willing  in  the  day  of  thy  power,  Pfa. 


(  19  ) 

i  io,  3.  Who  are  horn  not  of  bloodt  nor  of 
the  will  of  the  Flejh ,  Sec.  John  i.  13. 

6.  “  That  if  I  repent  and  believe  the 
Goipel,  God  has  engaged  that  he  will  give 
me  a  new  heart,  and  would  caufe  me  to 
walk  in  hisilatutes,  and  if  I  do  not,  God 
will  break  his  covenant,  as  mDeutcrcmmyf 

Here  it  may  be  obferved,  that  no  perfon 
does  truly  repent  and  believe  in  Chrift,  but 
he  that  has  a  new  heart.  I  hope  no  one 
will  be  fo  abfurd  as  to  aOert,  than  an  un¬ 
regenerate  perfon, while  fuch,can  a£  faving 
faith  and  evangelical  repentence  5  No, they 
mud  be  created  in  Chrift  Jefus,  and  have 
the  fpirit  of  Chrift  put  in  them  firft.  Hence 
faith  and  repentance  are  not  conditions  of 
the  new  heart,  but  the  fruits  and  gracious 
exercifes  of  it.  Thefe  by  the  influences  of 
his  fpirit,  God  will  enable  to  walk  in  his 
ftatutes,  and  to  perfevere  through  faith  and 
hoiinefs  unto  falvatiom  For  having  loved  his 
own  which  were  in  the  world,  he  loved  them 
to  the  end .  John  xiii.  f.  Jer.  xxxi.  31. 

7.  “  From  the  apoftle's  mentioning,  the 
breaking  off  of  the  jews,and  grafting  in  of 
the  Gentiles, I  am  told,  that  the  former  dil- 
penfation  was  a  faith  of  profeffion,  and  the 
prefent  difpenfation  means  no  more,  olfe 
the  apoftle's  reafoning  is  fooiiftinefs. 


(  20  ) 

fcquently  tells  me  that  faving  grace  is  unne« 
ceffary  for  complying  with  any  ordinance.’* 
We  may  here  obferve,  that  no  difpen- 
fation,  evej  given  from  God  to  men  admits 
of  hypocrify  j  he  always  requires  the  heart, 
and  even  under  the  Mofaic  difpenfation, 
thofc  that  were  ceremonially  polluted, were 
forbidden  to  partake  of  the  paffover,  not¬ 
withstanding  their  profeffion.  And  under 
ihe  holy  difpenfation  of  the  golpel,  the 
church  of  Chrift  is  called  a  ipiritual  houfc, 
and  believers  are  laid  to  be  lively  Hones 
of  which  it  is  built,  an  holy  pried:  had  to 
offer  up  fpiritua!  facrifices  acceptable  to 
God  by  Jcfus  Chrift,  i  Peter  ii.  5.  But 
what  unfit  materials,  are  hypocritical  pro- 
felfors,  who  are  dead  in  trelpalfes  and  fins, 
to  make  up  a  part  of  this  fpiritual  building  ? 
The  gofpel  therefore  requires  holinefs  of 
heart  and  life  in  all  thofc  that  make  profel- 
fion  of  their  faith  in  Chrift.  And  let  every 
cne,  that  nameth  the  name  of  Cbrifl  depart 
from  iniquity,  2Tim.  ii.  19.  God  is  a  fpirit 
and  they  who  wor/hip  him ,  mujl  •worjhip  him 
in  Jpirit  and  in  truth ,  John  iv.  24. 

8.  “  I  am  taught  that  creeds,  catcchifms,  . 
confeffions  of  faith,  church  covenants,  &c. 
are  a  long  rope  of  which  the  devil  has  the 
knot-end  >  that  the  devil  could  aot  have 


(  21  ) 

done  fo  much  mifchief  without  them  a§ 
with  them, and  that  there  would  not  be  a  re¬ 
formation  till  thefe  were  thrown  afide,&c.” 
Thefe  though  not  infallible,are  to  be  look¬ 
ed  upon,fo  far  as  they  agree  with  the  word 
ofGod,to  be  good  directories  for  our  fearck- 
ing  out  the  mind  and  will  of  God  j  and 
ought  to  be  made  ufe  of  as  fuch,  by  us  : 
Which  to  den)-,  is  to  deny  the  practice  of 
the  reformed  churches  in  all  periods.  As  to 
their  being  a  long  rope,&c.I  think  it  a  very 
indecent  and  unjuftifiable  expreffion.  And 
as  to  there  being  no  reformation  till  thde 
are  thrown  afide  j  this  we  know,tbere  have 
been  glorious  out-pourings  of  the  fpirit  in 
the  churches  where  thefe  have  been  care¬ 
fully  attended  to,  and  we  hope  for  ftill 
greater  .Hold  faft  therefore  the  form  oj  found 
words.  2  Tim.  i.  12. 

9.  (s  I  am  told  on  account  of  the  righ- 
teoufnefs  ofChrift,the  divine  attributes  har- 
monife,  juftice  could  demand  no  more. 
Chrift  partaking  human  nature  has  ele  vated 
and  reltorcd  it  to  favour  j  and  the  whole 
human  race  are  upon  better  {landing  than 
Adam  in  innocency.” 

That  the  divine  attributes  do  harmonife 
in  the  juftification  and  lalvation  of  them 
that  believe  inChrift,!  hope  none  will  deny; 


<  22  ) 

But  to  fay, that  Chrift  by  partaking  human 
nature  has  reftored  it  to  divine  favour,  &c« 
is  contradi&ory  to  fcripture  and  common 
fenfe  :  For  it  all  men  are  reftored  to  the 
favour  ot  God, then  all  men  will  be  faved, 
but  fay  the  fcriptures,  Many  be  called ,  but 
JfW. cbofeny  Mat.  xx.  1 6.  vii.  14.  And  is  it 
not  impofing  upon  common  fenfe  to  fay, 
that  perfons  dead  in  fin,under  the  wrath  of 
God,  and  a  moral  inability  to  pleafe  God, 
which  is  the  fcripture  account  of  the  whole 
human  race  by  nature,  are  upon  better 
{landing  than  Adam  in  innocency.who  was 
holy,  in  the  image,  favour  and  enjoyment 
of  God  ? 

10.  <c  The  gofpel  is  a  remedial  law, 
brought  down  to  our  capacities,  and  that 
we  are  able  to  obey  its  precepts.” 

I  find  nothing  in  fcripture  for  this  :  Be¬ 
sides, as  one  obferves,  it  is  a  great  miftake, 
to  fuppofe  that  the  conditions  of  this  ima¬ 
ginary  new  la^  are  eafier,  than  the  condi¬ 
tions  of  the  old  covenant  of  works.  The 
cafe  is  much  otherwife  ;  he  with  whom 
Che  firft  covenant  was  made,  had  fufficient 
power  and  ability  to  fulfil  all  its  conditions, 
and  fully  to  come  up  to  all  its  demands. 
But  fallen  creatures  are  morally  incapable 
of  performing  fincere  though  impeded  0- 


(  23  ) 

bedience  ;  they  have  naturally  nofincerity., 
no  truth  in  the  inward  parts,  no  principle 
of  new  obedience,  nor  does  this  pretended 
covenant  fupply  them  with  any* 

n .  “  The  depravity  of  human  nature  is 
denied,  and  original  fin  afiferted  not  to  be 
damning, " 

To  prove  the  depravity  of  human  nature 
lee  Pfalm  11  5.  Behold  I  was  Jhapen  in  ini - 
guky,  and  in  fin  did  my  mother  conceive  me. 
WithPi'a.  iviii,  3.  Ifa.  xlviii,  8.  <sWhat  ia 
here  faid  of  David,  fays  a  learned  divine, is 
true  of  all  men;  fince every  imagination  of 
the  thoughts  of  men's  hearts,  both  in  the 
©Id  and  in  the  new  world,  is  evil,  Gen.  vi* 
5,  and  8,  21.”  And  that  not  only  the  wick¬ 
ed  are  eftranged  from  the  womb,  but  the 
eledt  ofGod,are  by  nature  childrenjof  wrath 
even  as  others,  Eph.  ii,  3.  Which  fuppofe 
them  to  be  guilty  and  polluted  as  others  3 
and  indeed  how  fhould  it  be  otherwife  for 
that  which  is  born  of  the  Plejh  is  FlefhJTh'Xt 
original  finis  not  damning  appears  falfefrom* 
this,  All  fin  in  its  own  nature  is  damning 9 
for  fitly  every  (in  is  a  tranfgrefjion  of  the  law 
of  God, and  is  therefore  expefed  to  its  penalty 
even  to  eternal  deathy  Rom.  vi.  23.  There¬ 
fore  original  fin  muft  be  damning. 

i2.tliahave  been  taught  that  original  firs 


(  H  ) 

and  imputed  guilt,  is  as  unfcriptural  as  the 
Indian’s  philofophy  was  unphilofophical, 
when  he  faid  that  the  world  was  held  up 
by  a  greatlndian,thelndian  flood  upon  a  tor- 
toife,and  the  tortoife  flood  upon  nothing.* *’  • 

To  prove  original  fin,  or  that  we  are 
born  finners,  and  imputed  guilt,  fee  Rom. 
v.  12.  By  one  man  Bn  entered  into  the  world , 
and  death  by  fin  ;  and  fo  death  paffed  upon 
all  me 7,  for  that  all  have  finned.  Imputed 
guilt,  I  think  is  plain  from  the  19th  verfe. 
For  as  by  one  man’s  difobedience,  many 
were  made  finners,  fo,  or  in  like  manner, 
as  it  might  he  rendered  by  the  obedience 
of  one  fhall  many  be  made  righteous  Now 
how  do  men  become  righteous  ?  Is  it  not 
by  the  righteoufnefs  of  Chrifl,  being  im¬ 
puted  or  made  over  to  the  foul,  upon  its 
receiving  him  by  faith  ?  If  fo,  then  by  pa¬ 
rity  of  reafoning  we  are  made  finners  by 
Adam’s  fin  being  imputed  to  us. 

13.  “  That  an  unregenerate  man  could 
aft  a  divine  faith,  or  put  forth  a  faving  aft 
as  well  as  the  regenerate.” 

This  is  to  fay, there  may  be  the  afl  where 
the  habit  is  not  j  ©r  that  there  may  be  an 
effeft  without  a  caufe  ;  which  are  equally 

•  Thit  wn  delivered  In  our  pulpit  ky  a  traofient  perfon,  wWtli  difco- 

*era  to  me,  that  he  was  as  ignorant  of  the  rnyfteriea  of  the  Gofpcl,  a* 
hit  Indian  wai  of  philsfophy. 


4 


(  *5  ) 

fibfurd  :  In  order  to  ad:  faith  there  muit 
be  the  principle :  for  what  fays  our  laviour, 
JF irfi  make  the  tree  good ,  then  the  fruit  ’will 
he  good  j  for  a  corrupt  tree  cannot  bring 
forth  good  fruit. 

14.  “  I  am  taught  that  a  faving  faith  is 
an  affent  of  the  will  founded  on  the  under- 
Handing,  but  the  content  of  the  will  was 
no  part  of  it;  illuftrated  by  this  fimilitude, 
1  believe  there  is  fuch  a  place  as  London  he - 
caufe  1  have  feen  the  hi  dory  0}  it.  And  the 
life  of  faith  is  works :  And  thatGod  is  not 
the  immediate  author  of  faith,but  the  ferip- 
tures  mediately,  or  by  means  r  And  the 
faith  of  devils  differs  not  from  the  faith  of 
believers,  but  in  this,  one  has  works,  the 
Other  has  none.” 

According  to  this,  an  hiftorical  faith,  or 
the  faith  of  affent,  is  faving.  Hence  the 
greateft  profligate  that  barely  aflents  to  this, 
that  Jefus  is  the  Chrift,  has  laving  faith — 
O  monflrous  !  If  you  fet  under  fuch  a 
miniitry,  I  pity  you,  and  the  poor  people 
there.  The  confent  of  the  will  is  eftential 
to  a  laving  faith  j  how  can  I  be  faid  truly 
to  believe  in  Chrift,  except  I  icceive  him 
with  my  whole  heart,  and  molt  cheerfully 
confent  thatChrift  with  all  his  benefits  fhall 
be  mine,  and  I  with  all  the  powers  of  my 


(  26  ) 

foal,  will  be  his,  and  for  him  ?  This  faith 
will  work  by  love  and  purify  the  heart ; 
and  any  thing  (hart  of  this  is  but  a  dead 
faith  :  To  them  that  beluveCkrifl  is  precious , 
but  to  thoafands  that  give  their  affent  to 
the  Bible  as  true, he  is  not  precious  :  cThey 
fee  neither  form  nor  comlkiefsin  him, why 
they  fhould  defire  him  But  to  as  many  as 
receive  himx  to  them  he  gives  power  to  be¬ 
come  the  fens  of  GodT  even  to  as  many  as  be¬ 
lieve  on  his  name ,  John.  i.  is.  And  have 
not  tbefe  the  faith  of  con  Cent  think  you  ? 
He  adds,  f£  the  life  of  faith  is  works/’  X 
anfwer,  no  ;  good  works,  or  holinefs,  are 
the  neceffary  ededts  of  a  faving  faith  ;  but 
Chrill  is  the  life  of  faith, hence  he  is  called 
the  believer  s  life.  He  is  the  grand  objeffc 
of  faith  ;  hence,  lays  he,  Ye  believe  in  God, 
believe  alfo  in  me. 

God  is  the  immediate  author  of  faith  • 
Faith  is  the  gift  of  God)  .fays  the  apoftle, 
and  though  faith  comes  by  hearing,  yet 
barsly  hearing  or  attending  on  the  means, 
does  not  produce .  .faith,  this,  is  the  fpectal 
and  immediate  work  of  the  fpirit  of  God 
upon  the  foul,  hence  we  read  of  Lydia, 
“  whale  heart  the  Lord,”  not  men  tioc 
means,  <c  opened."  Notwithstanding  it  is 
the  duty  of  ail  to  attend,  upon  the  means. 


{  *7  ) 

for  in  this  way  God  ordinarily  communi¬ 
cates  this  fpecial  grace  :  In  the  difpolals  of 
faying  faith  he  atfts  as  fovercign,  he  gives  it 
to  whom  he  will  and  is  under  no  obliga- 
tions9but  his  mere  good  pleafure  to  bellow 
it  upon  any.  The  faith  of  believers  is  ef- 
fentially  different  from  that  of  devils  in 
this-—*8  They  have  an  appreheniiofl,  or 
fenfe  of  the  fepreme  holy 'beauty  and  ccmli -  ’ 
nsfs  of  divine  things,  as  they  are  in  them- 
feives,  or  in  their  own  nature.  This  the 
devils  and  damned  In  hell  are  and  forever 
will  be  entirely  deftitute  of. 

Tour  jervani ,  &£.” 


(  *8  ) 


Man  ECCEilASTICAL  COUNCIL,  htld-n  a! 
New-Braintree,  Oftober  27 ,  1 778,  at  the  houfe 
of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Benjamin  Ruggles. 


Rev.  MeJJrs.  David  White,  dijfent. 
Ifaac  J met, 

John  Willard* 

Nathap  Fifk, 

Ifaac  Fuller, 

Ephraim  Ward, 

Jofiah  Dana, 

Dan  Fofter, 


RESENT. 

Messengers. 

Deacon  William  Page,  dijfent. 
Deacon  Solomon  Rich,  • 

Daniel  Alden,  El'q; 

Deacon  Jabea  C-ofty, 

Deacon  Nathan  Johnfon, 

Mr.  John  Pbippi,  dijfent. 

Deacon  Jonas  Rice. 

Deacon  Hezekiah  Grifwold, 

Jofi  phAppleton,e/i^m.  Mr.  Samuel  Hafkell,  dijfent. 
Emerfon  Fuller,  Deacon  Joftph  Torrey. 

Rev.  Ifaac  June i  was  chofen  Moderator,  and  Jeln  Willard,  Scribe. 

THE  Council  was  opened  by  the  Moderatoi  with  prayer.  A  Com¬ 
mittee  f.om  the  church  in  New  Braintree  waited  upon  the  Couni 
cil,  informing  themj  that  feme  perfons  had  matters  of  grievance,  which 
they  were  defirous  of  faying  before  the  council.  "It  was  refolved  to  give 
them  an  hearing  forthwith.  The  aggrieved  accordingly  appeared,  and 
exhibited  a  paper,  in  which  they,  in  general,  reprefemed  Mr.  Daniel 
Tojler ,  Pallor  cleft  of  New-Braintite,  at  holding  fome  principles  in  his 
public  difc.  arfes,  and  private  convention,  which  are  not  agreeable  to 
truth,  and  of  a  dangerous  tendency.  The  complainants  having  no  par¬ 
ticular  articles  of  charge,  committed  to  writing,  were  dirrfted  by  the 
Council  so  withdraw,  and  commir  to  writing,  what  were  particular 
matters  of  grievance  ;  which  having  done,  they  laid  the  paper  before  the 
council, and  ferved  Mr.  Fofter  with  a  copy.  The  Council  then  adjourn¬ 
ed  to  Wed  i-.ef.lay  morning  7  o’clock. 

WedneJJay,  Ofloter  2S.  The  council  met  according  to  adjournment. 
The  aggrieved  and  Mr.  Fojier  then  appeared  brfore  the  Council.  Tha 
articles  af  grievance  were  then  read,  and  Mr.  Fojier  s  ar.fwer  to  themj 
and  both  paries  were  ful  y  heard. 

7  be  Articles  of  Grievance,  were  as  follows,  via. 

I.  None  will  ever  be  excluded  happrnefs,  but  thofe  that  exclude 
thcmfelves  is  m ■>ral  agents,  infants  included,  the  reafun  he  gave,  btcaufe 
where  fin  abounded,  grace  did  much  more  abound  ;  and  ic  was  not  ra¬ 
tional  to  thiok,  that  God  would  make  a  world,  and  then  let  the  Deri! 
tun  away  with  it. 

a.  In  denying  deftioo,  and  in  faying  that  Chrifl  died  as  much  for  Ju- 
da:  a s  lot  St.  Paul. 

3.  There  is  no  enmity  in  man  naturally  agaioft  God, 

4>  Original  An  is  nut  damning. 


j.  That  an  unrenerate  man  could  aft a  divine  f&ith ,  or  put  forth  a 
faving  aft  as  well  as  the  regenerate, 

6.  In  a  funeral  difcourfe,  Mr,  Fofter  fold,  it  would  not  be  alked  in 
the  great  day  haw  men  believed,  but  how  they  obeyed. 

The  following  is  Mr,  Foster’s  REPLY  to  the  allegations  brought 
againft  him. 

To  the  venerable  Council  convened,  and  now fitting  in  Neuv-Braintree, 
Venerable  Sirs, 

Lad  evening,  10  o’clock,  I  was  waited  upon  with  a  copy  of  what  a 
number  of  p^rfons  are  pleaftd  to  call  matteis  or  grievance,  figned  Dani- 
el  Matthews. 

I  am  ver;  forry  thofe  aggrieved  had  not  bethought  themfelves  in  time, 
and  favoured  me  with  a  copy  of  their  allegations  before  int  punflum 
temporis,  of  my  bring  called  upon  to  appear  before  this  venerable  body 
fo  ani’wer  for  myfelf,  touching  thofe  thingB  whereof  they  accufa  me. 
A  proper  time  to  prepare  for  his  own  defence,  be'ng  ever  granted  the 
vileft  malefaftois  :  But  though  treated  with  Inch  ncgieft  and  contempt. 
Vet  for  the  imcreft  of  truth,  and  beim  willing  to  granc  my  opponents  a 
nearing,  though  in  point  of  honour  and  even  good  manners,  they  are  not 
entitled  to  fuch  a  favour,  I  will  proceed  to  obfervc  f.mething  upon  the 
matteis  exhibited  againft  me- 

i.  It  is  allrdged  that  I  faid  in  a  difcourfe  from  Gen.  3,  and  9.  as 
afihrted  in  the  ft  ft  article  of  charge. 

In  anfwer  to  all  which,  I  appeal  to  my  notes. 

e.  They  ailcdge  that  I  deny  eleftion,  and  faid  that  Chrift  died  as 
much  for  Judas  ae  for  St.  Paul.  In  a  refrained  fenfe. 

3.  They  alledge  that  I  faid  from  the  gofpcl  feaft,  there  is  no  enmity 
in  man  againft  God.  This  I  fully  deny  as  afierted. 

4.  They  fay  that  in  private  I  faid,  original  fin  was  not  damning. 
This  I  own  as  my  fentiment,  though  I  do  not  tccolleft  I  ever  faid  fj. 

Moreover,  they  charge  me  with  faying  as  in  the  5th  article.  In  an¬ 
fwer  to  which,  I  fuppofehemay  aft  faith  with  divine  afiiftance,  equal¬ 
ly  with  thegreateft  fainbj  neither  can  aft  without  it.— If  thefe  brief  re¬ 
plies  are  not  fatisfaftory  I  crave  the  liberty  of  enlargement,  before  the 
venerable  Council,  as  I  h3ve  here  no  proper  time  to  reply  in  a  formal 
manner. 

Worthy  Gentlemen,  your  humble  fervsnt,  DANIEL  FOSTER. 

A 'true  copy. 

Examined  by  Rev.  Benjamin  Rhgglks,  Oft.  28  1778. 

The  Council  being  by  themfelves,  then  received  from  Mr.  Foster 
a  CONFESSION  of  his  FAITH,  which  was  read,  and  accepted  as 
Orthodox.  Which  was  as  follows,  viz. 

1.  I  believe  there  is  one  God,  and  one  mediator  between  God  and 
man,  the  man  Chrift  Jclus 

z.  I  believe  that  when  God  made  man,  he  gave  him  a  law,  holy, juft 
and  good,  and  that  man  had  full  power  to  keep  that  law  ;  that  man  by 
fin  broke  the  divine  law,  fell  under  the  wra  h  of  God,  See. 

3,  That  Goa  did  not  leave  man  to  perilh  in  this  ftate  of  fin,  but 
was  felf-moved  to  provide  a  faviour,  his  own  eternal  fan. 


(  3°  ) 

4.  That  Chrifl,  by  doing  and  fufferir.g,  fatisfied  divine  juftict,  brought 

ia  everlafting  iighteoufnef$>  for  all  that  lhail  comply  with  the  gofpel  in 
time.  _  #  . 

5.  That  God  has  appointed  a  day  in  which  he  will  judge  the  world 
by  Jefus  Chilli  according  to  the  Gofpel. 

6.  That  ail  who  in  time  comply  with  the  gofpel,  fits'-!  in  the  judg¬ 
ment  be  acquitted  and  icwarded  with  eternal  life. 

7.  That  the  feriptures  of  the  old  and  new  Tiftament  are  the  word  of 
Cue,  a  pc r /edit  rule  of  latch  and  life. 

8.  1  believe  a  Trinity  in  the  God-head  as  the  feriptures  teach. 

9.  I  be.ieve  thacGud  does  fore-know  all  ihingsthat  do  in  time  come 
to  pafs. 

10.  (That  man. by  the  £.11,  has  lc  ft  his  ability  to  do  good,  is  averfe 
to  good)  and  dead  in  fin,  and  unable  to  convert  himfelf  by  his  own 
(Length,  ami  needs  the  fpecia)  infijeuces  of  the  Spirit.* 

11.  I  believe  that  God  did  f  r-m  eternity  eledt  to  life  eternal,  a  cer¬ 
tain  number  of  fallen  men,  even  all  thole  who  fhould  in  time  b-ilieve 
inChrift,  which  1  ackr.owlege  infeis  a  reprobation  of  the  reft,  i.  e.  all 
the  finally  impenitent. 

The  above  1  lubferibe  as  myconleflion  of  faith,  according  to  prefenc  * 
light,  waiting  011  God  to  give  farther  light,  and  ready  to  receive  it  when 
offered,  DANIEL  FOSTER. 

A  true  copy  from  the  minutes. 

The  Council  then  proceeded  Co  ceniider  by  chemfcbei,  the  articles 
of  charge,  article  by  article. 

As  Co  the  firft  article  of  charge,  it  was  voted,  that  it  ought  not  to  be 
any  bar  in  the  way  of  the  Council’s  proceeding  to  ordination. 

As  to  the  fecond  article  Mr.  Fofter  fa'd,  that  henever  did  in  the  moft 
remote  fenfe,  deny  election  3  and  in  the  confcfiion  of  faith,  exhibited 
before  the  Council,  he  owns  exprefsly  the  dodtrine  of  eleflion,  Mr.  F of¬ 
fer  explained  himfelf,  and  mentioned  what  he  meant,  by  “  Chrift  dying  ^ 

as  much  for  Judas  as  for  St.  Paul.”  He  faid  Chrift  by  his  death,  put 
all  men  into  a  falvable  ftate,  fo  that  the  effers  of  falvation  were  with 
(incerity  made  to  Judas,  as  well  as  to  Paul  and  others,  and  that  the  rta- 
foo  why  Judas  was  not  faved  as  well  as  others,  was,  that  he  wilfully  re- 
jtfted  Chrift,  and  would  not  come  to  him  that  he  might  have  life.J 
'Voted,  that  this  article  as  explained,  is  no  juft  basin  the  way  of  the 
Council  going  on  to  ordain  Mr.  F offer. 

As  to  the  third  article,  vie.  That  “  there  is  no  enmity  in  man  natu¬ 
rally  againft  God.”  Mr.  Fofler  fully  denied  this  as  afferted  j  and  then 
proceeded  to  fay,  “  That  the  natural  man  had  framed  in  his  mind  an 
unjuft  reprefentation  of  the  moral  chara&er  of  God,  and  being  confcicus 

*  It  feems  Mr.  Fofter  has  received  farther  light  Jince  his  ordination , 
for  he  has  written  thus,  viz.  The  former  part  of  the  SO tb  article 
appears  to  me  at  prefers I  not  to  he  true,  D.  Fofter.  1  would  advife 
him  to  tale  heed,  lift  the  light  within  him  jhould prove  to  be  darlnefs. 

J  I  rather  conceive  Judas  believed  not ,  becaufe  be  war  not  one  of 
Cbs  ifi't  jheep.  See  John,  x.  *6, 


(  3i  ) 

fee  had  broke  God’s  law,  and  that  jafslce  vras  armed  againft  him,  and 
was  bound  to  punilh  him,  he  therefore  hated  God ;  bu*  that  his  comity 
agar'nft  God  was  not  pointed  againft  his  troe  or  whole  charafter,  but  a- 
gaiotl  his charafter  as  law-giver  and/sdge;  and  that  the  holy  fpirit  of 
God,  in  regeneration,  removes  from  the  miad  the/e  falfe  apprehenfion* 
of  God’s  charafter,  by  which  means  the  finner  is  brought  to  love  God.’’* 
V ited,  That  this  is  no  bit  in  the  way  of  proceeding  Co  ordination. 

As  to  the  fourth  article,  in  which  Mr.  Fcjier  is  charged  with  faying  in 
private,  that  “  original  firs  is  not  damning.”  Mr.  Foftcr  allowed  that  all 
fin,  in  its  own  nature  it  damning,  and  that  the  reason  why  original  fin 
»  not  damning,  is  becaufe  of  the  mediation  of  Chrift  and  an  inrerefe 
therein,  anJ  that  men  are  not  delivered  frcrif  ’be  condemnation  of  fin, 
whether  original  or  aftual,  till  they  are  fevingl*  interefted  in  Chrift. 
y ited,  that  this  article  cf  charge  as  explained  by  "Mr.  Fofiir ,  is  not  only 
tsa  bar  again®  h:s  ordination,  but  fouisd  divinity. 

At  to  the  fifth  a'tice,  ia  which  rhep-ftor  el ’ft  is  charged  w:th  fay- 
tog  ire  feme  performance,  that  so  Bwegr  «*»»•:•  man  can  aft  a  divine 
£aich„  or  put  forth  a  laving  aft,  as  wed  as  the  regenerate  :  He  anfwerg, 
f  fitppofe  he  may  aft  faith,  equally  with  the g re? teft  fair.  ;  and  that 
aeifreer  can  aft  it  without.”  K*  id <!•’,“  That  noon*  ever  afted  faith, 
preview  to  feme  tea!,  fptricua*  change  t  Th?f  h’s  dsfi  in  the  perform¬ 
ance  referred  (o,  is  no  mate  thta  this,  ha”  w-  hav;  an  entire  depen¬ 
dence  upon  God,  and  that  we  are  not  fu  ,'ci f  felves  to  do  any 

thing  fpiritoaiiy  good,  wiciuiat  <fivtaeaff:.'Hoc“,’*  Fifed,  that  this  fifth 
article  is  ao  bar  again!!  proceeding  to  or:l  >:»»_>  on. 

As  to  the  left  article,  ire  which  the  paftcr  eft  s  cha  r  ged  with  firing, 
in  the  funeia*  fenaon  of  Mad.m  iEegyfe*  asccaftd,  “  That  it  would  not 
he  alkei  in  the  great  day,  haw  we  a  •  ,  but  how  we  "brjf.d.”  Mr. 

Fojicr  cirj  rft.rd  again!!,  the  legality  of  the  charge,  as  he  had  not  been  firry, 
ed  with  i  copy  of  it  :  However,  upon  Its  being  moved  that  on  the 
whale,  it  might  be  bell,  he  caufented  to  fay  fomething  to  i".  He 
Coated  readily,  «  That  the  tighten  ufaefs  and  merits  of  Chrift,  was  ths 
fsle  ground  of  a  finner ’s  juftificatism  r  A  d  that  where  g  ■'■d  men  are 
laid  to  be  juftifiedl  in  the  great  •'a-  by  their  works,  foch  work’  had  faith 
in  Chrift  as  their  ptfeciple.”  Fuad,  Tfca.  the  explanation  above  is  fa- 
tkfaQory  to  the  Council. 

The  coantii  there  proceeded,  to  enasror  the  etftortleft-  ?s  to  his  fen- 
raent*  upra  the  <r.eft  important  vvsr.s  of  re.igicc,  and  the  motives 
that  infturnoed  him  to  undertake  she  smaiftty  ;  and  they  voted  tbeii  fa- 
difacHo-a  tipnti  thefe  ttsds. 

£t  was  then  voted  by  the  crane?,.  that  the  way  ia  dear  to  proceed  to 
the  erdiaation  of  the  psftot  deft.  Ths  f.»u*»ing  mtniSers  wet*  appoint¬ 
ed  to  the  ecfiiing  fervices,  vis.  Rev.  Dx»  Ftjfcr  to  make  the  fir® 
prayer  :  Rev.  Mr.  "Ward  to  make  the  prayer  bsfbr*  the  charge  ;  Rev. 
Mr,  Jbsa  to  give  the  charge;  Rr-v.Mr.  flaw  to  stake  the  prayer  afeee 
Uie  charge  ;  and  Rev.  Mr.  Fjk  vs  gyve  the  sight  haad  of  feilow&ip. 

y.  true  cvpy  talen  frev.  dr  trric-r'  ?  _ 

,  *  1  c*Knot  but  Isok  upon  ibis  as.  fnvze  tfdiir! nUy,  end  if  ne 

far  it  irdmssm,  ?«illy  I  dent  l,fm&  what  might  he  taieii  ere. 


V,*A 


